1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of storm sewers and catch basins. In particular, the present invention provides a trap for use in the catch basins of storm sewers. The trap of the present invention includes a novel bracket for attachment to a catch basin. The present invention also comprises an inlet flow device utilizing a similar bracket.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a storm sewer system, water, and a large amount of debris, enters the system through grated sewer inlets in streets. At each inlet is located a catch basin. The catch basin is essentially a concrete (or other material) vault into which all water from a street flows when it rains. At a given height above the floor of the catch basin, storm sewer lines communicate with the catch basin, carrying water downstream in the system and exiting the catch basin in a downstream direction.
A sewer fluid trap is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,384, comprising a rigid plate for fastening to the wall of a catch basin around the sewer outlet, and a downwardly bent elbow that can be inserted in a bracket formed on the rigid plate, to act as a trap. This fluid trap relies on a precise gas tight fit between the plate and the elbow to prevent the escape of gas from the trap. Moreover, since it utilizes a downwardly oriented elbow, a substantial portion of floatable debris in the catch basin will enter the storm sewer.
It is also known to provide a catch basin trap in the form of a downwardly directed hood, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,817. That patent shows a plastic hood with a downwardly oriented opening, for attachment to the wall of a catch basin. The hood is attached by a series of bolts to the side wall of the catch basin, with the opening of the hood being located below the level of a storm sewer. A gasket is placed between the hood and the wall of the catch basin, to render the attachment of the hood to the catch basin water-tight and gas impermeable. In its most basic form, the hood has a downwardly directed opening, which can admit floatable debris into a storm sewer. A drawback of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,817 hood is that it is difficult to mount and demount from a catch-basin wall, as it is bolted thereto.
The present Applicant is also the owner of co-pending Canadian Patent Application No. 2,708,713, in respect of a Catch Basin Trap particularly well suited for use with catch basins having flat planar walls. However, a large number of catch basins are constructed as cylinders, with curved walls. An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide catch basin traps that can be effectively emplaced on a catch basin with a curved interior wall.